How can culture engineer the levelling-up agenda?

By Jason Jones-Hall, Director of Five10Twelve

The Levelling Up White Paper, published on 2nd February 2022, included 107 references to how culture can support the levelling up agenda, with a promise that DCMS will further set out its plan to deliver to this agenda in the spring, including £40m of successful projects in England as part of the Cultural Investment Fund – which includes the Cultural Development Fund, (CDF).

At Creative UK’s Coalition Festival 2022, I hosted an expert panel, which included Creative Estuary Project Director, Emma Wilcox, that discussed the role of culture in engineering the levelling up agenda including:

What interventions, partnerships and investments are required to lay the ground for a thriving cultural centre in regional towns and cities?
What are the economic drivers and expected outcomes?
To what extent do existing schemes – including CDF – support the levelling-up agenda?
How can cultural organisations and creatives contribute to local decision-making and placemaking?
How can culture and creatives reanimate our public spaces and shopping streets?
How can the government support places without established artistic infrastructure to take full advantage of opportunities that the Levelling Up Fund provides?

Below I share the recording of the session.

Jason Jones-Hall, Director of Five10Twelve

About the Author
Jason is Director of Development at Five10Twelve. He has extensive experience of creative, cultural and digital-led innovation and regeneration, having worked with and for many of the UK and Europe’s leading agencies, including Arts Council England, Creative England, Creative Europe, Creative Industries Federation, Screen Skills, Nesta and Innovate UK.

As a member of the Board of Trustees for Artswork, Jason is passionate about creative and cultural education and supporting and developing new talent, skills development and creative entrepreneurship.